English

The full-scale Russian war against Ukraine has a fundamental impact on almost every aspect of societal, political, and economic life in all countries of the post-soviet space. While it is yet too early to fully understand and assess the multiple dimensions of this “Zeitenwende”, this course tries to take stock of some of the repercussions visible so far. These analyses not only focus on the present violent dynamic in the region, but also include still relevant legacies of the shared Soviet past as well as the - intended and unintended – changes which shape the future of the societies, the political systems and the geopolitical orientation of the countries directly or indirectly affected by the war. In order to enable a deeper understanding of these complex developments, scholars from the region are invited as co-teachers to (parts of) the seminar. If possible, they also establish (virtual) contacts between student groups in their countries of origin and the participants of the project seminar. It is the aim of these collaborative efforts to look at the ongoing war and its possible consequences from the perspective of the affected populations. One main focus is on Ukraine, but also some of the neighboring countries, such as Georgia, Armenia, Moldova or Kasachstan are taken into consideration. In addition, voices from Russia and, in particular, from Russians who left their home country because they oppose its current regime, are included. Instead of writing “classical” term papers, the participating students collaborate on different formats, such as blog posts, podcasts or even (brief) documentary videos to share their insights with a broader public.

In the 21st century, the world has witnessed the resurgence of several political movements marked by extremism and far-right worldviews. The result is a concerning trend of global democratic backsliding. In this context, political polarization is becoming the norm, dividing opinions in the public sphere. In this course, students analyze the multiple roots of this contemporary phenomenon and its disparate manifestations around the world today. At the theoretical level, students explore a wide range of concepts, such as populism, polarization, far-right ideologies, extremism, fascism, authoritarianism, and conservatism. Students are exposed to different styles of politicians and political movements, including cases in the United States, Europe (e.g., Ireland), Brazil, India, and the Philippines. Students examine forms of government, street protests, and online activism/harassment, giving particular attention to current attacks against women, queer people, immigrants, ethnic minorities, sexual rights, vaccinations, and freedom of speech. Finally, new modes of resistance are discussed.

This course surveys the religious traditions of Japan aimed at identifying and defining the most characteristic aspects of Japanese thought and belief.  It covers religion in pre-historic Japan; Shinto mythology, deities, and worship; the introduction of Buddhism; Esoteric Buddhism and Shugendo; Pure Land, Nichiren and Zen Buddhism; introduction of Christianity and Kakure Kirishitan; folk shamanism, and modern New Religions

This course examines the processes through which meanings of life are formulated and maintained in day-to-day life in societies past and present; it also explores life meaning as a way of comprehending the evolution of human societies. The course uses the concept of "meanings of life" as a window into the anthropological understanding of cultural difference and cultural evolution. 

This course uses the March 2023 Berlin climate referendum as a starting point for an analysis of German energy policy and (geo)politics. It assesses the influence of (geo)political, technological, environmental and other social factors on the development of the German energy mix since the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. The class traces the rise and fall of nuclear power before and after German reunification; the consequences of the oil shock and the persistence of oil despite the emergence of biofuels; the construction of natural gas pipelines, including Nord Stream; and the marked divergence of solar and wind capacity in the north and south of the country. Questions include: Should the German federal government have responded to widespread anti-nuclear sentiment by phasing out nuclear power ahead of coal? Are biofuels a sustainable substitute for oil? And is the shift to renewable energy in Berlin constrained by the technology or, as supporters of the climate referendum claimed, by a lack of political will?

This course introduces the track on innovative and sustainable regions and sets the ground for the next course on themes. A broad perspective on innovation and sustainability is adopted. Innovation goes beyond creating economic opportunities only and addresses broader issues including quality of life and job opportunities for different types of workers; environmental sustainability and greening of firms and industries; the ability of regions to renew their profiles in response to major crises and to secure their economic development in the long run. Sustainability captures the ability of regions to innovate and renew itself and respond to major shocks (economically sustainable), to be socially inclusive (socially sustainable), and to green their economies (environmentally sustainable).

The course examines how values, social relations and institutions have changed in European societies. Are there similar trends in all or at least most European societies? Have European societies converged, i.e., become more similar over time, or are there persisting divergences and cleavages? The course identifies the forces that drive changes in values, social relations, and institutions in European societies and the structures that shape particular regional and country-specific responses. It deals with a variety of topics such as religion, gender relations, and friendship patterns. While the course does compare a few countries at one point in time, it tends to look at many European countries (and occasionally countries beyond Europe) for longer periods to identify common patterns and the main differences between them.

This course covers the topic of food to explore the history of Mexico and its diaspora from the time of the Conquest, with a particular focus on food as national and cultural identity as reflected in cinema and literature. It will also explore how food provides a multifaceted lens through which to examine issues such as food and poverty, food as a transnational site of both community and exclusion, and ecological issues, such as control of natural resources essential to food production and security. Students examine the topic of food as both a political issue and a source of creative inspiration through our analysis of texts, art, films and television series.

This course covers the human microbiome and the interactions these microorganisms have with the human body and with disease. Students explore the pathological mechanism of disease by learning about the morphological and functional changes in each organ tissue due to the cause, developmental mechanism, and progression of diseases occurring in the human body.  Topics include the microbe-human ecosystem, microbial interactions, host-microbe interactions, normal microbiota, the formation of the human microbiome, maternal microbes, gut microbes, digestive infection systems, pro- and prebiotics, etc. 

This seminar provides students with a greater understanding of the scientific study of the politics of international economic relations, in particular the politics of trade. The course emphasizes seminal as well as cutting-edge academic scholarship on a number of substantive topics, incl. the distributional consequences of trade and domestic sources of trade policy, the design and evolution of global trade governance under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and World Trade Organization, the politics of preferential trade agreements, as well as the relationship between trade, conflict, international investment, migration, and the global environment.